How to Modify Your Lesson Plans: Ideas to Implement Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking into Classroom Content Area
Along with your current Course of Study and lesson plan, each lesson should include an opportunity for your ELL student to practice using his/her new language with reading, writing, listening and speaking.
It is recommended, in some districts required, for teachers to provide documentation to be sure all four realms of L2: reading, writing, listening, and speaking are included in each lesson. Documentation may be: lesson plans, SIOP Plans, or other paperwork.
Below are answers to commonly asked questions, and suggestions of how to make this implementation low stress and beneficial for both you and your ELL student.
How do I have time to implement a reading, writing, listening and speaking goal in Every Content Lesson I teach? You already do it. Listed below are examples of goals in all four realms. How many do you already use in a daily lesson?
Reading
Writing
Newspaper Environmental print Email Games Recipes Instructions about how to make things Class paper Lists Graphic Organizers Literary Writing Journalistic Writing Sharing personal narratives
Magazines Letters Dialogue Journals Peer Journal Comics Math puzzles Maps Published writings Peer writing Narratives Formal academic writing Forms
Email Letters Dialogue Journals Peer Journals Comics Games Result of science experiment Word mapping Webbing Graphic organizers
Free writing Quick writing Creating an Illustration Revision in response to feedback Personal event casts Lists Personal narratives Conversational writing with student pairs/groups
Listening
Speaking
Use “live language” (Sources with real people talking in authentic situation) Interviews Computer Group work Following oral directions Peer personal narratives Total Body Response
Radio Television Telephone recordings Games Teacher read alouds Peer Read alouds Peer conversations Dialogue journaling Revisions with peer feedback Personal event casts Conversational writing
Problem solving Interviews Story telling Games Math puzzles Result of science experiment Brainstorming ideas Fantasizing Storytelling Personal event casts Personal narratives Conversational Writing
Drama Role-playing Simulations Cooperative games Strategic questioning Sharing an experience Communicating thoughts to a known audience Peer feedback
Source: Ovando, 2006
Why are so many activities repeated? Your student centered, scaffold instruction produces highly interactive lessons. In order to keep each learning style engaged your lessons include moving, talking, reading, and writing, speaking in almost every lesson!
What is an easy way to ensure I have taught all realms of language in every lesson? One suggestion is to make a simple rubric: Here are some examples from the above, four-realm rubric:
Academic Corse of Study:
Academic Course of Study: Math Problem Solving
Reading:
Writing:
Reading: Student reads the math problem to/with group.
Writing: Student participates in writing group rubric explaining problem solving and solution.
Listening:
Speaking:
Listening: Student listens to problem solving ideas of group members.
Speaking: Student discusses and problem solves with group.
Academic Corse of Study: Writing Personal Narrative
Academic Corse of Study: Science Experiment
Reading: Student reads peer editor’s writing.
Student reads own personal narrative to peer/group.
Writing: Student writes personal narrative.
Student writes revisions on peer’s writing.
Reading: Student reads to/with group directions for experiment.
Student reads Science Journal Reflections to peer.
Writing: Student reflects on findings in Science Journal.
Listening: Student listens to peer feedback on writing. Student listens to peer writing.
Speaking: Student explains revisions to peer. Student
Listening: Student listens to the ideas of classmates and teacher. Student listens to model Science Experiment from teacher.
Speaking: Student talks through steps and directions of science experiment with group.
Why not teach these skills in isolation? The argument has been made: “isolating and emphasizing each of the four language skills was to encourage teachers to provide a balanced approach to each” (Ovando, 165). However, this is not an authentic way to communicate. Think of how you use language: conversations with peers of colleagues, daily chores and shopping, communication and enjoyment in home. Rarely are you using only reading, writing, listening, or speaking in isolation.
Meaningful use of the language jumps seamlessly from one portion of the language to another. If these skills are taught collaboratively, you ELL student will have the advantage of practice moving, naturally, from one realm of language to another.
How to Modify Your Lesson Plans: Ideas to Implement Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking into Classroom Content Area
Along with your current Course of Study and lesson plan, each lesson should include an opportunity for your ELL student to practice using his/her new language with reading, writing, listening and speaking.
It is recommended, in some districts required, for teachers to provide documentation to be sure all four realms of L2: reading, writing, listening, and speaking are included in each lesson. Documentation may be: lesson plans, SIOP Plans, or other paperwork.
Below are answers to commonly asked questions, and suggestions of how to make this implementation low stress and beneficial for both you and your ELL student.
How do I have time to implement a reading, writing, listening and speaking goal in Every Content Lesson I teach?
You already do it. Listed below are examples of goals in all four realms.
How many do you already use in a daily lesson?
Environmental print
Email
Games
Recipes
Instructions about how to make things
Class paper
Lists
Graphic Organizers
Literary Writing
Journalistic Writing
Sharing personal narratives
Letters
Dialogue Journals
Peer Journal
Comics
Math puzzles
Maps
Published writings
Peer writing
Narratives
Formal academic writing
Forms
Letters
Dialogue Journals
Peer Journals
Comics
Games
Result of science experiment
Word mapping
Webbing
Graphic organizers
Quick writing
Creating an Illustration
Revision in response to feedback
Personal event casts
Lists
Personal narratives
Conversational writing with student pairs/groups
Interviews
Computer
Group work
Following oral directions
Peer personal narratives
Total Body Response
Television
Telephone recordings
Games
Teacher read alouds
Peer Read alouds
Peer conversations
Dialogue journaling
Revisions with peer feedback
Personal event casts
Conversational writing
Interviews
Story telling
Games
Math puzzles
Result of science experiment
Brainstorming ideas
Fantasizing
Storytelling
Personal event casts
Personal narratives
Conversational Writing
Role-playing
Simulations
Cooperative games
Strategic questioning
Sharing an experience
Communicating thoughts to a known audience
Peer feedback
Why are so many activities repeated?
Your student centered, scaffold instruction produces highly interactive lessons. In order to keep each learning style engaged your lessons include moving, talking, reading, and writing, speaking in almost every lesson!
What is an easy way to ensure I have taught all realms of language in every lesson?
One suggestion is to make a simple rubric: Here are some examples from the above, four-realm rubric:
Math Problem Solving
Writing Personal Narrative
Science Experiment
Student reads own personal narrative to peer/group.
Student writes revisions on peer’s writing.
Student reads Science Journal Reflections to peer.
Student listens to peer writing.
Student
Student listens to model Science Experiment from teacher.
Why not teach these skills in isolation?
The argument has been made: “isolating and emphasizing each of the four language skills was to encourage teachers to provide a balanced approach to each” (Ovando, 165). However, this is not an authentic way to communicate. Think of how you use language: conversations with peers of colleagues, daily chores and shopping, communication and enjoyment in home. Rarely are you using only reading, writing, listening, or speaking in isolation.
Meaningful use of the language jumps seamlessly from one portion of the language to another. If these skills are taught collaboratively, you ELL student will have the advantage of practice moving, naturally, from one realm of language to another.